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How to choose your study programs in Germany? The answer lies here in this article! 

You can attend a German university in various ways: 
* as an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor's degree
* as a master student 
* as an exchange student (see Financing & Scholarships)
* as a doctoral student 

## **Universities and Degrees**

There are various kinds of universities that have different focuses: comprehensive universities and those who specialize in one field only. In general, universities in Germany are considered comprehensive higher education institutions, offering a wide range of majors ranging from engineering to art history.

Students will attend theory-oriented seminars and lectures within the field of their majors. Compared to this, universities of applied sciences, known as “Fachhochschulen” in German, have a more practice-oriented approach. During their study, they will have the opportunity to put their knowledge to the test in practical problem-solving situations. For the students who have artistic talent in art, design, music, film or film production, etc., they will find their dream courses in German colleges of art, movies, and music. If you want to get more information about German universities after this brief introduction, you can also read [this article](https://edubao.org/blog/types-of-german-universities-how-to-choose-the-right-one) to find more detailed information. 

You might have heard that Germany has 3 types of degrees in the past: Diplom, Magister and Staatsexamen are all equaled to master. The difference between Diplom and Magister is that Diplom is for students who graduate from science-engineering majors, which Magister is like Master of Arts. However, after participating in the [Bologna Process](https://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/higher-education/bologna-process-and-european-higher-education-area_en), the German higher education system or degree has become more aligned with international standards. There are four types of degrees in Germany now: 
* Bachelor 
* Master
* State exam
* PhD 

Almost all German higher education institutions have changed their systems so far. To help you clear all the confusion away, we will give you an overview of these aforementioned degrees in the following parts. 

### **Bachelor's Degree** 

The goal of a Bachelor’s Degree is to equip students with foundational knowledge in their chosen field of study and/or work. The lectures and seminars also aim to help you gain different perspectives to make sure that you will have an overview of what it is like to work in the field in the future. Bachelor’s Degree usually lasts from 6 to 8 semesters in Germany. After finishing your degree successfully, you can choose to either launch a career or go on to do a Master's Degree. 

Typical bachelor's degree programs include:
* Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Humanities and Social Sciences
* Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
* Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Technical and Scientific Studies
* Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.)

For the application for the Bachelor‘s Degree in German universities, please remember to check the official website of your universities and get the required documents ready at least 6 months before the deadline. 

![EDUBAO_2203a.jpg](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/df9017fb-67b1-42c7-aaa7-ab7e573b4ce5/edubao-2203a.jpg?version=0 'EDUBAO_2203a.jpg')

### **Master's Degree** 

The master's degree is a follow-up degree after the Bachelor's Degree at German universities. Now that you have completed your Bachelor’s Degree, you are expected to have the fundamental knowledge of your major, what a Master’s Degree will do for you is to deepen, expand your understanding, or help you specialize in a specific area of your previous study. It typically takes 4 to 6 semesters to complete a master's degree.

Typical Master's Degree programs include:
* Master of Arts (M.A.) 
* Master of Science (M.Sc.)
* Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) 
* Master of Fine Arts (MFA) 

Magister or Diplom as we mentioned above is comparable to the degree of master.

If you want to apply for a Master’s Degree in Germany, the study course you want to apply for must have comparable requirements to your respective bachelor program. Besides, some universities will also set credits as one of the admission requirements. If you are interested in studying a master's degree in English, you can inquire at your selected university's International Office or search the online DAAD database.

### **State examination**

State examination, called ”Staatsexam” in German, is arranged as the final exam and carried out by the Federal State, not by universities. If you are interested in pursuing the following professions and want to study them in Germany, then you will have to attend state examination:
* Doctor
* Pharmacist
* Dentist
* Lawyer
* Judge
* Teacher
* Veterinary

In some majors like law, dentistry, etc., you will first take theoretical academic studies and then take the first state exam then a second one for practical training. For instance, students who want to be a lawyer need to do their “internship” to finish their state exams. 

We would like to suggest you first think about where you want to work after graduation, in Germany or your home country before starting your application. If you plan to launch a career in your home country, make sure that these certificates or diploma will be recognized then. The application for these kinds of programs is called “NC” (Numerus Clausus) in Germany, which means students need registration on Hochschulstart.de (DoSV). or further information about the university application process, you can check out [this article](https://edubao.org/blog/how-to-apply-for-a-german-university-through-uni-assist).


### **Doctorate** 

This type of degree is strongly research-focused. Besides attending seminars, working on the dissertation is one of the most important tasks during your doctorate. To start with your doctorate, you should usually contact a Ph.D. advisor/professors who could be interested in your thesis topic in advance. If he or she agrees to be your supervisor, then he will send you an admission letter or invitation to the study in German as a Doctorate student.

Let's find out what makes German education a unique distinction in the world!

**Fact 1**: Education in Germany is mainly regulated by the government. Federal authority, however, only has a minor power to make sure the uniformity of their system while each state (Land/Bundesland) regulates its own policy for education.

**Fact 2**: In Germany, it is mandatory for children to study at least 9 years, for Primary schools and Secondary schools.

**Fact 3**: Homeschooling is not allowed in Germany in general. However, there are still exceptions for accepted homeschooling as following:

 * The child has severe illnesses that he or she must stay away from school 
 * The child is not fit for school / "not teachable"
 * The child is permanently bullied by other children, displaying behavioral problems, etc.

Below is our summarized map and explanation of the school system in Germany:

![1104-EN.png](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/f5ba7c4b-ba0b-4235-9ddf-3f9bb7410865/1104-en.png?version=0)

## **Nursery level/pre-school**

Nursery level/pre-school is optional (not compulsory) for children below 6 years old. There are 3 types of pre-schools in Germany: Kinderkrippe, Kindergarten, and Kita.

* **Kinderkrippe**: is seen as a crèche – the nursery for babies from 3 months old to kindergarten entry age (3 years old).
* **Kindergarten**: is for children from 3 to 6 years old. 
* **Kita (Kindertagesstätte = children’s day-care center)**: provides after-school and sometimes pre-school activities for children from 3 to 6 years old.

## **Primary School (Grundschule)** 

Primary School (Grundschule) is compulsory for all children from 6 – 9 years old from grade 1 to 4, except for Berlin and Brandenburg where Grundschule could last for 6 years: from grade 1 to grade 6. 
After primary school, based on their ability, students can continue at one of the different Secondary School types as following: Hauptschule, Realschule, Gymnasien, Gesamtschule, Regionalschule or Gemeinschaftsschule. 

Besides, **Kinderhort/Schulhort** is a form of the after-school center, similar to Kita, but for children between 7 and 12 years old. In Kinderhort, children can have lunch, do homework and play with their peers.

## **Secondary School (Sekundarstufe I)**

Secondary School (Sekundarstufe I) is compulsory for all children. It is highly classified, based on the ability of children. Hence, there are following types of Secondary School:

* **Hauptschule** targets for students who show the least academic ability. They will study in Hauptschule for 5 years (class 5-9) and finish by a final exam called “Hauptschulabschluss”. 
Afterward, they can move to a higher level at Berufsschule or Berufsausbildung (vocational schools) for the next 2-3 years.
* **Realschule** is for intermediate students and lasts for 5 years (class 5-9), or 6 years (class 5-10) in some states. Students will finish Realschule with a final examination named “Mittlere Reife” (or Realschuleabschluss). 
After Realschule, students can attend Berufsfachschule (vocational schools) or Fachoberschule (Duale Ausbildung – dual training schools with a combination of vocational training or apprenticeship in companies) for the next 2-3 years. If students have excellent performance at Realschule, they could be moved to Gymnasium after graduation.
* **Gymnasium** is for students with high-academic-ability who target for further education study at universities or institutions. Gymnasium lasts for 8-9 years (grade 5 to 12 or 13 in most states). After Gymnasium, students must pass Abitur exams (higher education entrance qualification) to get into universities or equivalent institutions.
* **Regionalschule** is only available in some states of Germany. It is a combination of Hauptschule and Realschule. At Regionalschule, a student can study for 9 years to get a Berufsschule certificate (which is equivalent to Hauptschulabschluss) or 10 years for MittlereReife certificate, which is equivalent to Realschuleabschluss.
* **Gesamtschule** is the combined form of Hauptschule, Realschule, and Gymnasium. Students can study for 5 years to get Hauptschule Degree (Hauptschulabschluss), 5-6 years for Realschule Degree (Mittlere Reife/Realschuleabschluss) and 8-9 years for Gymnasium– Abitur Degree, depending on each state. 
* **Gemeinschaftsschule** was established after a pilot project in 2008/2009 school year and now is run mostly as private schools in Germany. It is a binding form of Hauptschule and Realschule, as well as Gymnasium under certain conditions, which makes it easier for children to transfer between different levels of study and create equality for all children. Students at Gemeinschaftsschule could study from grade 1 to grade 10, or up to grade 13 in just one school.

![EDUBAO_Study_in_Germany_Berlin_marius-serban-iFtuhgn7fYs-unsplash.jpg](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/8ff82a62-4612-4dd2-b2a3-df6aec021b2b/edubao-study-in-germany-berlin-marius-serban-iftuhgn7fys-unsplash.jpg?version=0 'EDUBAO_Study_in_Germany_Berlin_marius-serban-iFtuhgn7fYs-unsplash.jpg')

## **Higher Education level in Germany**

* **Fachschule** is a technical school with a specific training focus. After graduating Berufsschule (vocational schools) or Fachoberschule (Duale Ausbildung - dual training schools with a combination of vocational training or apprenticeship in companies), students can either go on to study at a Fachschule if they want to become a skilled engineer or achieve expertise in business, management and service industry. Students graduating Realschule with good results can also transfer directly to Fachschule. 
* **Berufsakademie** (Cooperative education) is a dual education system which combines the study of theoretical knowledge and practical work experience at companies. Berufsakademie is governed by the state (Bundesland); Companies who participate in this system will pay for both the training costs and the students’ salaries. 

Types of universities and/or equivalent institutions in Germany: 

* **Universitäten** (traditional universities) are institutions with the right to award doctorates that care for and serve the development of the sciences through research, teaching, and study.

* **TechnischeUniversitäten/TU** (technical universities) are doctorate-granting institutions with a wide range of engineering subjects and scientific subjects, mostly supplemented by other subjects.

* **Fachhochschulen/Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften/Hochschule für angewandte Forschung (Universities of Applied Sciences /higher education institutions of applied science)** are higher education institutions that teach and research with an application-oriented focus on a scientific basis.

* **Technische Hochschulen (Colleges of technology)** refer to institutions that focus on the natural and engineering sciences.

* **Musik- oder Kunstakademien (Academies for Arts and Music)** provide higher education level of visual, design, performing arts, film and television, a variety of music subject and fine art, as well as the theoretical disciplines of above-mentioned subjects. Some schools only specialize in a major while others provide multiple choices for different subjects. 

You can find more information on types of German universities here in [this article](https://edubao.org/blog/types-of-german-universities-how-to-choose-the-right-one).

Normally, one of the entrance requirements to university in Germany is Abitur Degree or equivalent. However, many non-EU students couldn’t get admitted to university because their high-school graduation certificate is not seen as equivalent to Abitur degree. Hence, it is necessary for these students to successfully finish 2 semesters at a preparatory college (Studienkolleg) before getting admitted to a German university. For more information about Studienkolleg, don't hesitate to read [this article](https://edubao.org/blog/german-preparatory-college-studienkolleg-an-overview).

![EDUBAO_1104.jpg](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/639f78d9-ada5-4763-baa6-252e810271c8/edubao-1104.jpg?version=0 'EDUBAO_1104.jpg')

As we all see, the school system in Germany has a significant classification of students since the secondary level and it is also believed to be more complicated than educational systems in other European countries. Students in Germany are trained to take their roles in the labor market according to their ability and willingness. Thanks to this well-organized education structure, Germany has become a leading manufacturing nation in Europe and stood in the top 4 largest economies by GDP, according to Focus Economics’s publication. It is worth for you to experience your study time in one of the best educational systems in the world.

Germany is becoming a more popular destination for oversea students due to its open, modern and disciplinary teaching system. But what have you known about their education system? Let us list out the significant points about the school structure in Germany in which you might be interested.

The German Education System

If you want to apply to 10 different universities, do you need to prepare 10 applications? 

## **What is Uni-assist?**

Located in Geneststraße 5, 10829 Berlin, uni-assist e.V is an association which provides services for processing and evaluating documents for international students applying to its university members. 

It was founded in 2003 through the cooperation of 41 German universities and initially financed by DAAD – Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (German Academic Exchange Service). Currently, there are nearly 180 university members. You can search for its members directly on the website [uni-assist.de](http://www.uni-assist.de) or else, your university’s website would also tell on its website if it is a member of uni-assist or not.

Generally, uni-assist works as a central point of contact between students and their university members. Therefore, instead of dealing directly with universities, you would work with Uni-assist to gain admission to its university members.

Uni-assist's core responsibility is to evaluate foreign school-leaving certificates and determine their equivalence to German educational standards. Its services also include processing the individual entry requirements of the target universities. To specify, uni-assist does the following works:
* Evaluate if your educational certificates meet general requirements for university studies in Germany.
* Convert applicant’s transcripts to the German grading system
* Check additional admission criteria set by the university members
* Providing university choices for students, depending on the procedure.
* Register all data and documents necessary for the universities’ admission procedures.
* Inform the applicant about the evaluation result.
 
The advantage of using uni-assist is that applicants need to submit each document only once, even if they wish to apply to multiple universities.

![EDUBAO_3201_what-is-uni-assist-m](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/d92d1f03-fccb-4bc0-9595-e8260ac750fb/edubao-3201-what-is-uni-assist-m.jpg 'EDUBAO_3201_what-is-uni-assist-m')

## **What is the deadline to apply for uni-assist?**

The deadlines will vary depending on universities, which could be easily checked on their websites. Normally, it falls in the following two points of time:
* Courses starting in the winter semester: deadline on 15 July
* Courses starting in the summer semester: deadline on 15 January
Some universities set earlier deadlines for specific courses, such as for master’s courses or the Studienkolleg (preparatory course).

You can start your application once the university activates its application on the uni-assist online portal. It is highly recommended that you send the documents to uni-assist and pay the application fee at least 8 weeks prior to the deadline so that they can inform you if any papers are missing.

## **The application fee at uni-assist**

The handling fee by uni-assist for the first course is €75, and €30 for each additional course. These fees cover registration, processing, and evaluation of your documents and educational certificates, irrespective of the results of this procedure. If you reapply for a new semester, it would be calculated as your first-time application (€75 for the first course and €30 for each additional course).

Uni-assist offers you 2 payment methods: by credit card or bank transfer. The handling fee must be paid by the time you submit your materials so that your application could be processed.

You can also receive a refund or credit from uni-assist for the following cases:
* You paid more than the needed amount.
* You paid for the processing of an application that is free of charge for you.
* You withdraw your application before uni-assist processes it.
* Uni-assist has determined during processing that they are not responsible for the application.

![EDUBAO_3201b.jpg](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/df7edf00-40b6-49b6-b6bc-4d10f4c9d6de/edubao-3201b.jpg?version=0 'EDUBAO_3201b.jpg')

## **What happens after you sent your application?**

If you send your application by post, uni-assist will send you a confirmation by email upon receipt. Afterward, the processing time would vary depending on your country of origin:
* Central and Eastern Europe: approximately 5 weeks
* Asia, North America, and Oceania: approximately 5 weeks
* Western Europe, Turkey, and Latin America: approximately 7 weeks
* Africa, the Middle East, and Iran: approximately 5 weeks

This processing time might take longer for some individual cases. If you are interessted in how the application process looks like via uni-assist, don't miss out on [this EDUBAO article](https://edubao.org/blog/application-through-uni-assist-s-new-online-portal-step-by-step-guide).

When planning your application to a German University, you must know the portal you should send your documents to. The receiver of your application package could be university itself, Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung or Uni-assist, depending on your nationality, the origin of your school-leaving certificate and restriction status of your study subject.  

Uni-Assist - an Access to 180 German Universities

Have you visited the uni-assist portal? Here's what it looks like!

**Log in**
----------

After logging in, you will be asked to fill in your basic personal information.

![](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/996b997e-9659-4fb6-b3a9-21b2cb47b87f/unassist-en-1.png 'unassist_EN_1.PNG')

![](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/567e1819-150c-496f-a73a-e00b9f83e523/unassist-en-2.png 'unassist_EN_2.PNG')

For DoSV courses you will be asked to provide the BID and BAN numbers, which are provided by [hochschulstart.de](//hochschulstart.de).

![](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/6d6f4b10-74d7-4864-bb2f-d8c6ddb3f42e/unassist-en-3.png 'unassist_EN_3.PNG')

[hochschulstart.de](//hochschulstart.de) _is a special application process for students who want to apply for a local “NC” (Numerus Clausus) in a German university. They will need to log in onto_ [hochschulstart.de](//hochschulstart.de) _in order to get their BID and BAN as shown above. For further information about all the application processes through uni-assist, you can read our_ [other article](https://edubao.org/blog/how-to-apply-for-a-german-university-through-uni-assist)_._

**Search study offer**
----------------------

Next, you will be directed to the Course Catalogue page.

![](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/5a06a133-7c5d-400b-8e56-a602af3686f8/unassist-en-5.png 'unassist_EN_5.PNG')

Here’s an explanation of the webpage:

*   On the left you can enter your search criteria, like your dream course, semester and university.
    
*   On the top right you have different tabs:
    
    *   In the "My Account" tab you can change your personal and payment information.
        
    *   In the "My Applications" tab you will find the applications you have already made.
        
    *   In the "My Inbox" tab you will see the messages you have been sent.
        
    *   The last tab on the right is the shopping basket. There you will see the application fees for the course(s) you have selected and can proceed to pay.
        

**Before submitting your documents**
------------------------------------

Your applications will be processed after you paid the fees. So what you need to do first of all is to pay for the applications you want to submit in the shopping basket.

But there are two important points you need to pay attention to before submitting your documents. Please ensure that:

*   You have accurately filled all the basic information, especially your educational history;
    
*   You uploaded all the required documents which are listed on the universities’ webpages.
    

You may also need to answer several questions from the universities before any submission.

**Paying the fees**
-------------------

Depending on the majors and requirements of the universities, you may see different payment requests but in general, they look like this:

![](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/ed52ea38-a243-4785-808c-aba80f018c0b/unassist-en-6.png 'unassist_EN_6.PNG')

There are three payment methods:

![](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/749c3f06-71ae-4ef3-b870-ab6c902345b6/unassist-en-7.png 'unassist_EN_7.PNG')

After paying the fees, you will receive an email from uni-assist to confirm/notify you of your payment status. The next step is to send all the required documents via Post to the uni-assist office in Berlin. Here is the address:

**uni-assist e.V.**

**11507 Berlin**

We hope that by the end of this article, you will have familiarized yourself with the new portal from uni-assist. If you have any further questions about applying via uni-assist, don not hesitate to contact us! We wish you all the best with this portal!

Application Through Uni-Assist's Online Portal - Step-By-Step Guide

What courses will you take at Studienkolleg? How about the costs? Let's find out!

In this article, we will give you brief information about Studienkollegs.

## **What is Studienkolleg?**

Studienkolleg is an institution to prepare a student for their academic study at university. Students, whose university entrance qualification is not recognized in Germany, will have to attend a course which could last for two semesters at Studienkolleg before studying at university. They complete this course with an assessment test (Feststellungsprüfung) before applying to a German university. 
The German language is compulsory in all Studienkolleg courses even when you have already obtained a qualified German certificate for university. Other subjects will be dependent on your future major at German university. A complete introduction of German universities will be found in [this article](https://edubao.org/blog/types-of-german-universities-how-to-choose-the-right-one).

Your university will advise which category of subjects you must follow to make sure you are well-prepared for the future academic journey.

## **Types of Studienkollegs**

Like universities, Studienkollegs are also divided into general Studienkollegs and applied-science Studienkollegs, as the preparation courses for general universities and applied-science universities, respectively. Of course, the category choices would be different between general Studienkollegs and applied-science Studienkollegs. 

![EDUBAO_shubham-sharan-Z-fq3wBVfMU-unsplash.jpg](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/9000a3b3-180a-4872-8190-0b6e06335336/edubao-shubham-sharan-z-fq3wbvfmu-unsplash.jpg?version=0 'EDUBAO_shubham-sharan-Z-fq3wBVfMU-unsplash.jpg')

## **What course are taught in Studienkollegs?**

General Studienkollegs, cooperating with universities, will offer 5 below categories for preparation courses:

* G-course (German, social studies, history, German literature): for humanity degrees or German studies
* M-course (German, biology, chemistry, physics): for medical, biological and pharmaceutical degrees
* T-course (German, mathematics, chemistry, physics): for mathematical, science or technical degrees
* W-course (German, mathematics, macroeconomics, English): for business, economics, and social science degrees
* S-course (history, literature, social studies, German): for language degrees 

On the other hand, there are 4 choices of categories for students at applied-science Studienkollegs as below:

* TI-course (mathematics and computer science, natural sciences, German, technical drawing): for technical and engineering degrees 
* WW-course (mathematics and computer science, economics, German, English): for economics and business degrees 
* GD-course (German, mathematics, design, physics): for design and art degrees 
* SW-course (mathematics, pedagogy, German): for social science degrees

![EDUBAO_2204_M2.jpg](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/53c44769-3efb-4d67-81dc-8194b39f2404/edubao-2204-m2.jpg 'EDUBAO_2204_M2.jpg')

## **Cost for Studienkolleg study**

Most Studienkollegs which linked to public universities offer tuition-free preparation course. You just need to pay an administration fee between €100-€400 per semester. Some public Studienkollegs could be found on this [website](http://www.studienkolleg.com/staatliche-studienkollegs).

In case you study Studienkolleg at a private university, the tuition might vary depending on that school, e.g. Freshman Institut in Aachen €17,500, Rheinland Privatschule in Duisburg und Düsseldorf €3,000. You can also find the information about some private Studienkollegs by following this [link](http://www.studienkolleg.com/private-studienkollegs).

In the meanwhile, you properly should calculate your cost of living during the time of Studienkolleg study, which falls between €700-900/month.

For more information on the application process for Studienkolleg, please check out [https://edubao.org/blog/application-process-to-preparatory-college-studienkolleg](https://edubao.org/blog/application-process-to-preparatory-college-studienkolleg)!

As you might already know, your educational documents equivalent to Germany’s Abitur degree are one of the academic criteria for German universities to grant you admission. Students could be properly admitted to an undergraduate school directly if they own a qualified school-leaving certificate. However, a huge number of applicants are not so lucky with their previous education and they need to complete Studienkolleg – a preparation course before getting admitted to their chosen university.

German Preparatory College (Studienkolleg) - an Overview

Can I study in Germany without speaking German? 

## **German skills and assessment framework (GeR)**
 
You can demonstrate your language level with two different tests for study in a higher education institution in Germany. One is the DSH (German Language University Entrance Examination for Foreign Applicants), and the other one is the TestDaF (Test of German as a Foreign Language).  

Before diving into the two main German tests you may be required to take, you need some background knowledge regarding the assessment framework - GeR. 

![EDUBAO_2103.jpg](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/d52b3e74-bccd-4667-90b4-b8ded3874dca/edubao-2103.jpg?version=0 'EDUBAO_2103.jpg')

### **GeR - Gemeinsamer europäischer Referenzrahmen für Sprachen**

Many a time may you have heard that German B1 is the starting level for you to study in Germany. But what does it mean by B1 and how to know if your German is at this level? The answer lies in the following table, which is a detailed description of CEFR (German: GeR - Gemeinsamer europäischer Referenzrahmen für Sprachen). This is a common framework used in Europe to define the linguistic levels for European languages including English, German, Italian, Spanish, etc. We would also use this framework to describe the language skills in other articles about the German language in the future, so it’s necessary that you read this table to get an overview.  

![EN 2103.png](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/1a09be23-eefa-46aa-8a25-8b07841d2ca0/en-2103.png 'EN 2103.png')


Source: [Council of Europe - Common European Framework of Reference for Language](https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-descriptions) 

It is mostly required that students must submit a DSH2 certificate or a 4-TN4 TestDaF certificate. For students who want to study courses that require in-depth understanding of the German language such as German as a foreign language, German literature etc., they will be asked to demonstrate the language skills at a more advanced level, for example TestDaF at least 18 points (2-TN4 und 2-TN5). 
But if you are falling to one of the following cases, you don’t need to submit your language certificates: 

1.	You have an Abitur certificate from a German-speaking high school.

2.	You have completed the new certificate C2 of the Goethe Institute: major German Language Diploma or one of the previous minor or major German Language Diploma or the Central Advanced Language Test (till 2011) test, and you completed the Goethe Certificate C2 "Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom" (from 2012 onwards).

3.	You receive the German Language Diploma (phase II) from the German Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs.

4.	You have completed the examination of the "telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule".

## **German tests**

![EDUBAO_TESTDAF.png](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/ddca05ec-7c3d-4bdf-8c1e-a9edc9c17234/edubao-testdaf.png?version=0 'EDUBAO_TESTDAF.png')

### **TestDaf (Test of German as a foreign language)**

Before arriving in Germany, you can take TestDaF in your country. The TestDaF is provided six times a year, with the exception of three occasions in China, and is present in over 90 nations. For more information on test centers, schedules, fees, and more, visit the TestDaF website.


### **DSH (DEUTSCHE SPRACHPRÜFUNG FÜR DEN HOCHSCHULZUGANG)** 

![EDUBAO_2103_Germanskills_M.jpg](https://cloud.squidex.io/api/assets/edubao/b40ccdbd-8de1-4164-a9bf-6cd76cfd135c/edubao-2103-germanskills-m.jpg?version=0 'EDUBAO_2103_Germanskills_M.jpg')

Unlike the TestDaF, the DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang) can only be taken in Germany. The exam is offered by many universities, so you should contact the International Office at your university for information on upcoming testing dates. You can also take DSH preparatory courses at universities. Once you receive an acceptance letter for these courses, you can include it in your visa application to Germany.


## **Learning German**

When you have decided to pursue a degree taught in German in Germany, learning the language should be your first priority. If you don't have any German language skills, we would suggest you to start learning in your home country first, so you can receive detailed guidance in your first language, which is especially useful at the beginning of learning a foreign language. As soon as you become more familiar with the language, you can also choose to learn German in Germany. For example, there are usually summer language schools or winter language schools held during the vacation by the language centers at the universities. At these vacation language schools (called Sommerkurse or Winterkurse in German), you can also learn more about German culture and the local community. A comprehensive catalog of language classes and short courses is available on the [DAAD website](https://www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/sommerkurse/en/?languageSwitched=1).

Various private language schools in Germany are another option. They also provide “Sommerkurse” to students from all over the world. Check [this database of German courses and providers](http://www.fadaf.de/de/daf_angebote/sprachkursangebote/suche.php) to find out more language schools in Germany. Furthermore, when it comes to learning German, one cannot ignore the Goethe Institute, a cultural organization that represents Germany worldwide. This is a highly recommended place to learn German, both in your home country and Germany. The Goethe Institute provides German classes worldwide as well as in 13 places in Germany. More information can be found on the Goethe Institute website.

You should not only study German for university admission but also for your everyday life. Keep in mind that speaking German is a significant factor in making German friends more quickly and feeling more at home in Germany. Check out [this article](https://edubao.org/blog/free-online-resources-for-learning-german) for more interesting learning websites.

If the language of instruction of your chosen program is German, it is no surprise that German language is one of the most important requirements for you to study in Germany. A German language certificate is then a required document for your study application. But, first of all, should everyone learn German before going to Germany, and if yes, then what level should they achieve to be eligible? We are going to answer these questions for you in this article. Let’s get started! 

Do I Have to Speak German to Study in Germany?

German university system

Each program is designated to train you for a particular degree, with which you can either go into the workforce after graduating or go on to do a post-graduate study. Below is all the essential information about different degrees in Germany that you need to know for your study in Germany.